System and method for a wireless network having multiple station classes

Abstract

Methods and protocols are discussed to address IoT coexistence with existing WLAN devices and protocols. Some embodiments allow for the IoT devices to be located further from the Access Point than other devices, and provide higher power solutions to serve these long range devices. New IoT Frame structures are disclosed to allow for the above.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for wireless communications by an access point (AP) comprising:
 receiving a first data packet to be transmitted to a station of a first class with a long range requirement; 
 inserting the first data packet into a frame for transmission, the frame including bits intended for stations of a second class without the long range requirement; and 
 transmitting the frame to at least the station of the first class with a portion of the frame including the first data packet being transmitted at a higher power than a remainder of the frame that includes the bits intended for the stations of the second class without the long range requirement such that the remainder of the frame is ignored by the station of the first class. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  wherein the bits included for the stations of the second class include header bits. 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  wherein the header bits include legacy preamble bits, and the AP concentrates power for a payload portion of the frame into a plurality of narrowband subcarriers based on a power required to satisfy the long range requirement. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 receiving at least one additional data packet to be transmitted to at least one station of the second class without the long range requirement; 
 and wherein inserting includes inserting a payload data from the at least one additional data packet into another portion of the frame. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 receiving a second data packet to be transmitted; and 
 inserting the second data packet into the frame for transmission; 
 and wherein transmitting comprises transmitting the frame with the portion of the frame including the first data packet and the second data packet being transmitted at a higher power than the remainder of the frame. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 5  wherein the first data packet and the second data packet are inserted into pre-defined subcarrier portions of the frame. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 6  wherein the pre-defined subcarrier portions of the frame include the center  26  subcarrier Resource Units (RUs) of the frame. 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  wherein the frame includes a null power portion which separates the first data packet and the second data packet. 
     
     
       9. An access point (AP) comprising:
 an input/output interface configured to:
 receive a first data packet to be transmitted to a station of a first class with a long range requirement; and 
 receive a second data packet to be transmitted; 
 
 a processor; and 
 a memory including machine readable instructions which when executed by the processor cause the AP to: 
 insert the first data packet into a frame for transmission, the frame including bits intended for stations of a second class without the long range requirement; 
 insert the second data packet into the frame for transmission; and 
 transmit the frame to at least the station of the first class with a portion of the frame including the first data packet and the second data packet being transmitted at a higher power than a remainder of the frame that includes the bits intended for the stations of the second class without the long range requirement such that the remainder of the frame is ignored by the station of the first class. 
 
     
     
       10. The AP of  claim 9  wherein the bits included for the stations of the second class include header bits. 
     
     
       11. The AP of  claim 10  wherein the header bits include legacy preamble bits, and further comprising instructions executable in the processor to concentrate power for a payload portion of the frame into a plurality of narrowband subcarriers based on a power required to satisfy the long range requirement. 
     
     
       12. The AP of  claim 10  further comprising a plurality of filters for filtering frequency components and a combiner for producing a signal with the frame having the portion of the frame including the first data packet being transmitted at a higher power than the remainder of the frame. 
     
     
       13. The AP of  claim 10  wherein:
 the input/output interface receives at least one additional data packet to be transmitted to at least one station of the second class without the long range requirement; 
 and further comprising instructions executable in the processor to:
 include payload data from the at least one additional data packet into the frame; and 
 transmit the frame with a portion of the frame including the at least one additional data packet being transmitted at a lower power than the portion of the frame including the first data packet. 
 
 
     
     
       14. The AP of  claim 9  further comprising instructions executable in the processor to insert the first data packet and the second data packet into pre-defined subcarrier portions of the frame. 
     
     
       15. The AP of  claim 14  wherein the pre-defined subcarrier portions of the frame include the center  26  Resource Units (RUs) of the frame. 
     
     
       16. The AP of  claim 15  further comprising instructions executable in the processor to include a null power portion which separates the first data packet and the second data packet.